Regulatory safety information and symbols

Products must also feature certain mandatory information if they are “classified as dangerous” under European legislation (Dangerous Preparations Directive 1999/45/EC). For consumer products, this information is provided on the packs. For professional products, the information is provided via Safety Data Sheets as well as on the product packaging (packs, drums, etc.)

Hazard symbols are designed to give the user a highly visible warning about substances or mixtures that may be hazardous. The hazard category is usually indicated in text, below the symbol and will always be accompanied by standard statements explaining the type of hazard involved and precautions to avoid any harm. In Europe, the use of hazard symbols is currently governed by the Dangerous Substances Directive and the Dangerous Preparations Directive. Hazard symbols in Europe appearing on cleaning products are black against an orange background. The following symbol (a black St. Andrews Cross on orange background) signifies that the product may cause irritation to the skin and/or eyes.

Irritant

Other symbols may indicate that the product is harmful in some other way, such as being corrosive. In such case, the word ‘corrosive’ would appear under the symbol itself.

The European labelling system is about to change: the black and orange symbols will gradually be replaced by red and black ones, no later than 2015, along with new text and illustrations. This is driven by globally harmonised rules; the new European Legislation is entitled the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals (CLP) Regulation.